Reviews

excellent visuals, actors deserved better writing/editing (watch suggestions)

Overall: there was quite a bit of potential but the choppy storytelling/editing hurt the series a lot. The last few episodes were better so that week break seemed to help. Aired 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. YouTube cut version https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzTP1IMPICl6R_dsvgKnBAMp6htoQwswK (episode 1 uncut was 47 minutes 29 seconds which is what I added up the cut parts on YouTube minus the breaks between parts so there wasn't a difference in episode 1, later cut episodes removed NSFW) and iQIYI Thailand only uncut version with delayed English subtitles https://www.iq.com/play/battle-of-the-writers-episode-1-21ue1zzg12c?lang=en_us I rated the cut version a 7 and uncut 7.5.

Content Warnings: non con picture taking, threat, stalking, non con kissing, drugged, non con touching?, injured/clubbed, violence/blood, manipulation, sexism, homophobia

What I Liked
- aesthetics/visuals
- good/realistic that she wouldn't give out his phone number
- tropey falls but they were cute
- supportive group of friends
- sweet moments
- good intimacy/NSFW scenes were well done

Room For Improvement
- with dreams, flashbacks, fast jumps, re-telling scenes from a different perspective, etc the series feels extremely choppy both in modern day and in the Xianxia parts
- the writing felt very contrived, the characters didn't act like real people and what people would say/do, also inconsistent characterization with the guy in black who started by being self assured and then suddenly was nervous/anxious, a character who was multilingual chose to speak a language that no one else could understand in the beginning
- having the panda face paint/jammies on the Chinese character felt a bit iffy
- completely not needed to character assassinate an established queer couple, there were multiple other ways the writers could have achieved what they wanted
- comedy sound effects detracted from the humor, the magic mushrooms in episode 3 were cringey and not funny
- the manipulation/lying by a character in episode 9
- random marriage in episode 11
- wearing socks (on feet) in NSFW scene
- no international release for the uncut version, only available in Thailand (deducted a half point for this as the uncut was better)

Watch Suggestions (it was really challenging in the beginning episodes so I included the Xianxia parts and then also included some sweet/steamy scenes)
- episode 1 part 1 beginning to 2 minutes (zero explanation of why one was blindfolded...)
- episode 2 part 1 beginning to 2:15 (pinned against tree, sword won't harm soulmate)
- episode 3 part 1 beginning to 3:10 (got something in his eye), 6:43 to the end (seem to be in school???)
- episode 3 part 2 beginning to 3:05 (talking about a character, gets a royal decree to kill the other guy? then flash forward then flashback???), 4:13-4:45 (2 other random characters talking to the guy in white), 10:10-10:30 (short fight)
- episode 3 part 4 10:50 -13:12 (introduced a noble genius character who becomes the demon guy's master???)
- episode 4 part 1 beginning to 1:25 and then jump to episode 4 part 2 at 2:55-3:12 to see the end of this scene (flower from his hair)
- episode 4 part 1 8:10-end, roasting a chicken blew out dust from his eye (same scene as in episode 3 part 1)
- episode 5 part 1 1:50-4
- episode 5 part 3 beginning to 3 minutes, 5 min to end
- episode 5 part 4 6:17-6:32
- episode 6 part 1 3:30-6:45 and episode 6 part 3
- episode 7 has a random couple introduced but they kiss at 16:30
- watch episode 7 uncut 29:50-33:15 steamy scene and then 33:30-42:30 for Xianxia kissing
- watch episode 8 part 1 3:45-7
- watch episode 8 part 2 2:40-4, 6:15-end
- watch episode 8 part 3 6-7
- watch episode 8 part 4 4-5:50
- watch episode 8 uncut 16-18:55 for a steamy scene
- watch episode 9 uncut 27-36:20 for a very steamy scene and then 43-end
- watch episode 10: part 1, part 2, start part 3 at 7:45 and part 4 at 4:30 (watch ep 10 uncut around the steamy parts for more steam)
- watch episode 11: part 1, part 2 beg to 3:30 and 11:45-13, part 4 beg to 1:45 (the elevator kissing might be a bit longer in uncut)
- watch episode 12: part 1 (watch the uncut until 10:30, they cut 4 minutes of NSFW here), part 2 and part 4 5min to the end

Leia Mais

This is one of the most beautifully shot movies I have yet watched...
You know, I watched this movie first time a year ago, and rated it 7, and when I rewatched it yesterday, I was socked how I could have 'insulted' this movie that much, maybe I can say I was not attentive enough during my first watch (though that's a lame excuse, as yesterday my eyes were glued to the screen)... Let's say I wasn't in the right state of mind for this movie at that time... I am glad I suddenly decided to rewatch it yesterday.
The cinematography is so perfect, there were scenes my breath was caught somewhere in my throat... The colors (if you decide to watch it just download it, and preferably HD, the bigger the file, the better, trust me) were driving me crazy! The hill on which they placed the mailbox became one of the places I want to visit before I die, it's the most beautiful, peaceful place! The way they shot it at least made me want to go there,sometimes it seemed I could even see the wind blowing the grass and the hair of two lonely characters standing there...
The plot is simple, and honestly I didn't need more complicated, as the scenes were so rich visually, other complications were unnecessary...
Acting is wonderful! As a big fan of Han Hyo-Joo, one more time came to adore her character.
First thing about JaeJoong I noticed was his husky voice, which drove me crazy, I was WAITING for him to talk... I think he was a perfect person to portray JaeJoon...
The music is very complimentary to the movie, perfect match... calm, relaxing and light...
Also the symbolic meaning of the movie adds to it value so much more... White lies to help people, is it right or wrong? Teaching a lesson by making the person to look at life from a whole another angle of life... Learning how to withstand the difficulties of life from zero... falling in love after being hurt...falling in love...^^

Leia Mais

It feels like nobody is talking about All About My Romance. The consistently low ratings (even on the final) seem to reflect this disinterest, and that's a shame. What viewers have passed over is a satisfying, sweet, and refreshingly mature romantic comedy...with few of the common face-palm plot twists that plague the genre. And it's actually funny.

Perhaps the daunting prospect of wrestling political debate is keeping potential fans away. There's no need to worry on that front. This drama's title can also double as the plot descriptor. Everything is about the lead couple's relationship; the political ideologies were simplified and, like the government positions held by most characters, were largely used to flavor conflicts and create an interesting atmosphere for love to blossom and persevere. Unfortunately this device over-saturated the first four episodes, which served as a foundation for the later events of the story. It's like the necessary bit of salt in your cookie dough recipe accidentally got doubled and overcame the sweetness. By the fifth episode though, a burst of romantic chemistry blows the bitter taste away, leaving the rest of All About My Romance charming and delicious.

The acting was generally good to passable, with Shin Ha Kyun blowing everyone else out of the water only to carry it to the end. Some people have said he's not handsome or young enough to play a romantic lead, but they must not have seen him smile. His whole face lights up and, if you're anything like me, you'll find yourself grinning right along with him. The personality Shin Ha Kyun infuses into his Soo Young will probably win him some attraction anyway, because it fuses the zany and romantic in a completely lovable way. Unfortunately, this great performance also means that he destroyed any possibility for Park Hee Soon (forgettable) to form a compelling second lead and badly overshadowed co-star Lee Min Jung (passable). It's lucky then that Shin and Lee look very well together and have believable chemistry, right?

Musically, the only special mention would be the excellent vocal inserts. Akdong Musician's "I Love You," and Shin Yong Jae's "Simple Love" have found themselves into my iPod. The instrumental tracks were either largely not present or too forgettable. However, watch out for the wacky Benny Hill-esque tracks which play during the fun or comedic scenes. They sound a little silly, but somehow remain completely suitable.

The low level of angst and satisfying wrap to most conflicts in All About My Romance take down its rewatchability, but in a good way. I feel like the sweet and comedic scenes are definitely worth a revisit though, and there are several I'd love to see again.

If you want something light and easy to watch, this drama is for you. Especially if you've just gone through a particularly traumatic melodrama or just want a mood booster.

Leia Mais

This reminded me a lot of Gokusen. Not necessarily because of the story but how its told. Its not really one storyline till the end but each episode has its own little story concentrating on one side character (...which is being helped by the female lead).

I really liked the idea of one girl being in a school full of boys.

(I mean what girl doesn't? ^.^) Sometimes it was cute and sometimes it was a little dramatic (ok, maybe sometimes a little too dramatic). The music was catchy, the acting was great and the boys were cute. This drama has a special atmosphere. You know, when you watch those (american) movies where the lead character dramatically gives a Speech/Explanation in front of an audience/other lead character towards the end and the audience so moved by his/her words that they all cheer/kiss or whatever. This kind of atmosphere leads you through all 9 episodes. Not much romance but a lot of "fighting"-attitude, so if you don't mind a little cheesiness on the side, you should give this a try. I did and I didnt regret it.

*Fighting* (makescutefistmoveintoair)

Leia Mais

My secret romance is like those old mansions you see deep within cities in Europe that date back to the medieval times etc. Sure there are people who love these things, but I belong to those who are all for demolishing these old villas in favour of new exotic buildings. That being said, sometimes you enter these mansions and you are so shocked and surprised by the unique wonderfulness of the interior design that you end up questioning your personal beliefs (personal experience!).



I am happy to admit that my secret romance is exactly like that. Starting it I had no expectations and I had braced myself for the impending, inevitable hard-drop! Even though, I can easily name this the cliché-est kdrama I’ve ever watched; the cheesiest, corniest, fluffiest shit I’ve ever put myself through, yet against all odds, I deeply loved it and honestly I stand here in awe of it. As a rom-com hater, how is that even possible? Well, looking back, I can name a few things.



Secret Romance, despite its heavy cliché-ridden self, had this exclusive, borderline inexplicable dosage of fresh air in it. Kinda contradicting isn’t it? Well, that is the main reason it was so good!



Starting off, the drama is characterized by its archetype characters. Cute female lead in need, shy, naive, with sad mommy issues in her backstory striving to survive and make a living y’know, usual stuff; paired with the uber classic chaebol hawt arrogant womanizer. Been there, done that. What secret romance did differently, ultimately breaking the mould of rom-coms in the best way possible is the realistic and natural expression of young adult sexuality. HELL TO THE YES PEOPLE! No more over-romantic, fake and unrealistic holding hands as the expression of ultimate love. It was ‘bout time drama gods!



More specifically, sexual jokes, innuendos and gestures, taboo job occupations, actual kissing, underwear clothing products and finally the acquittal of sex as a despicable act in kdramaland! There is nothing wrong with expressing sexuality people and it was about time we saw that in kdramas.



In all honesty, I have never witnessed a better romance development in a kdrama. The flirting felt real, the chemistry was exquisite and I enjoyed every moment they had building up their relationship. Nothing about it was really new, but it was the way that it happened that not only felt right but left extremely close to me as a person. The archetype characters strayed only a little bit away from their lanes just to make the drama that much more addicting.



Moreover, nothing about the romance was idealized here (finally); but rather, it was so fucked up that it ended up being relatable – expressing how we can hurt but also heal through an unexpected relationship, how easy it is to misunderstand and how easy it is to misinterpret. So relatable it felt too real! All in all, the best part of the drama for me, besides the lovely chemistry, was the natural expression of sexuality in its complete spectrum, while always keeping it real, cute and never filthy or awkward. I salute the writers for taking a chance here and actually making it work.



Having said all that, I cannot argue that secret romance was perfect. Critically assessing the drama, I have to admit that there were no substantial side characters or stories, most of them misused and underdeveloped. Simultaneously, while there was some basic effort to make the characters feel real giving them stories of their own to grow on, these backstories were barely ever elaborated on and were resolved abruptly at the end out of the blue.



I can safely say, the drama is not perfect and the more you think about it the more problems could be found. This is a drama to just smile and spend 13 fun hours doing nothing but letting your heart flutter. However, the fact that the drama did romance so well and touched upon -otherwise normal- stuff that are for some reason unheard of in kdramaland easily make me give this a well-deserved 8.5 just for that.



As far as the acting is concerned, no awards will be given here, but I don’t think anything was problematic.



I should mention at this point that Song Jieun is my 2nd ultimate bias in kpop (and my list is big, so I do love her) so I might be lenient and biased when I say that I absolutely loved her as Yoomi, she felt thoroughly real and behaved very accordingly to her role. She definitely had this role down and was a perfect match. Since her last project that I couldn’t help but drop, she was overwhelmingly improved and I can’t wait for her next drama.



I will not stay and talk about trite things like how unrealistically handsome Sung Hoon is, like everybody with a pair of eyes can see that. I will talk about how good he is, considering he’s a former athlete though. I am not entirely sure how flexible he is as an actor, and for a moment there I did believe that he won’t be able to act in any role other than the arrogant womanizer chaebol, but let’s not be quick to judge. I’d love to see him again, preferably in a different role next time.



Concluding, my secret romance is like a good pasta dish in a lovely restaurant. You know what it is, you’ve had it a thousand times but each time it is as good; and to top all that off, this plate of pasta has a very unique ingredient inside it to spice things up and leave a unique experience. Therefore, I would wholeheartedly recommend this drama to every rom com lover and honestly pretty much everyone who is looking for an easy watch.

Leia Mais

What A Satisfying Ride!

I have seen dozens of BL shows, but the experience of watching My Stand In was top-tier. Whether it was watching it or turning to social media, My Stand In kept me in a 12-week choke hold. The way I felt about the characters in episode 1 was not how I felt about them at the end of episode 12. There was so much drama, but also so much character growth. I hated Ming at the beginning of the series but loved and wanted the world for him by the end.

I've watched many toxic romances, but what set Joe and Ming's story apart is that the viewer watches events happen and those events change the character. Relationships that began like the Manson Family ended like The Brady Bunch. Every turn and twist was earned and felt. The chemistry between the main couple is electric. Even as you wish they would stay away from each other you understood why they couldn't.

Action, sex, messy emotions... it's got it all. I highly recommend My Stand In to everyone, it's that good.

Leia Mais

I started with high expectations but I was really disappointed. It was cute but there was nothing more to it. The story would have been very good but it was badly executed and badly written so in the end it's just boring, I've mostly watched it while doing something else.

The main plot is supposed to be revenge (I mean the main lead is literaly named revenge) but in the end it was mainly focused on the love story between the two main leads and the revenge is just put aside until the last few episodes. After the first 10 to 12 episodes, the story just drags on and on. It's a passable teen drama and maybe I'm getting too old to enjoy it, but overall it's way too cringy that it's hard to watch without wanting to throw away your computer. What bothered me the most is that they're adults but they constantly act as if they were 15.
The plot also included a sort of criticism of the Korean system of education with two characters close to the burn out, but they just mention it sometimes without really getting into the subject, which is a pity.

The great thing about this drama is the cast. All actors are very good in their own roles. Yoo Seungho has nothing more to prove, we all know he's a good actor, Jo Boah is also very good even though her character is sometimes very annoying, and Kwak Dongyeon is stunning as a villain.

Leia Mais

came for the men, stayed for the plot

Now to preface, I have not watched the original Money Heist.
I originally watched the first part because i love political/crime thrillers and because the cast includes some dilfs but im really glad i stayed through the end. I came for Kim Sung Oh and stayed for the plot.
If you liked the first part, you'll love the second part. You literally HAVE TO watch this if you watched the first part because TONS of thing happen and character development is top tier. The amount of emotional trauma this caused me (in a good way) is crazy. Kim Sung Oh, my son, bf and husband, was so good playing the north korean police officer. just had to mention it.
If youre a Kim Ji Hoon or Park Hae Soo simp you MUST finish watching it because the men's acting in this is sooo good.
As for the actual plot, whatever you think is gonna happen next, will not happen. This show will leave you questioning your prediction skills. Ending was satisfying and that's all i'll say about that.
This show really had me switching sides. Am i on the robbers' side or the polices' side? Idk and i still dont know.
Overall super entertaining. I hate that my predictions were wrong because i like being right. Whoever wrote the original plot to Money Heist and the Korean variation has a huge wrinkly gigantic brain with many brain cells because wow, i loved this show!

Leia Mais

Tales of messy relationships in a topsy-turvy world

This review will contain A LOT of spoilers. You have been warned. :)

TL;DR: Oddly constructed rom-com that is weak on rom and com. A lack of direction and focus compounded its woes. Not recommended.

As with many contemporary rom-coms, this show started out with a promising idea. A rich, handsome troublemaker being protected 24/7 by an attractive, no nonsense, female bodyguard. Lots of opportunities for witty banters and close quarter actions, you'd think. It was a love-hate relationship from the start.

A decent show can become a problematic one when missteps are compounded. Let us apply the matrix to this show.
* Lack of Direction
What is this show about? Is it a rom-com? A family melodrama? A revenge drama? Business/crime thriller? At times, the show was all of the above and more. It really packed in a lot of subplots as if the writer was throwing mud at the storyboard and see what sticks. With that many threads and plots fighting for space, the main OTP plotline is sidelined without much progression.

* Lack of Focus
Case in point, most of the rescue missions were very elaborate and consumed a fair amount of screen time but it showed little return. It showcased how brave the ML is but also his recklessness and not being a team player. The people rescued or even the team members were just extras on the set. We know nothing about them, and they played no part in the rest of the show. Ditto the elaborate night race. It only served to give the FL street creds but all the people there were all forgotten by the next scene. Lots of other scenarios were thrown at us just to make a quick point and just as quickly forgotten.

* Illogical Plots and Actions
The company just carried on after the thieve of 20 million yuan (half their cash reserve), . The police did nothing. The top-level staff shouted at each other for a few minutes and it was business as usual. Another example, showing up with an expensive necklace for SFL1 in front of a crowd of squealing actresses. Why? The kidnapping in the final episode. (facepalm)

* Too Many Cooks
This is a common problem with c-dramas. When 1 CP is not enough, make it 5!
Let’s count;
CP1, ML (Johnny Huang) and FL (Wang Li Kun). Their faces are on all the posters
CP2, ML’s father and FL’s best friend (a drill instructor)
CP3, ML’s best friend and a waitress at his restaurant
CP4, FL’s mom and dad who are divorced
CP5, ML’s father’s assistant and the company’s accountant
SFL1 is a young actress (complete stranger), SFL2 is a rich b!tch from hell (old family friend), SML (FL’s college era ex-BF).
Collectively, we have crushes, unrequited love, love triangles, autumn-romance, push-pull, separations and more. This sucked the oxygen out of the OTP’s storyline, and the show suffered. (See Lack of Direction/Focus)
All these antagonists/protagonists lead to. . .

* Muddled view of Love
It is not unusual for the love line of the leads to be angst filled but this show brings home the bacon.
Both SFL1 and 2 subplots started with the ML leading them on so that they thought he was interested in them. Old trope but it was done in a very ham-fisted way and highlights the foolishness and naivety of the ML.
SML was a pest and just won’t take no for an answer.
The show suggested that ML5 was using FL5 to further his revenge plot but we are told it was true love later. Really?
Speaking of true love, the show gifted us a tropey romantic scene in the rain with a glowing merry-go-round as the backdrop. There were tears, rejection but ultimately, reconciliation and declaration of love. This is CP1, right? Wrong. CP2 got the special romantic treatment. Who is the OTP in this show?
CP2 was an autumn-romance with an age difference of 29 years! Not that I have anything against age gap love as long as it is believable but the meet-cute was a game of golf and lunch. Put together with the hint that he just wanted a bit of fun on the side, and she giving off gold digger vibes (no hint of that beforehand), it just screamed WRONG. Luckily, she came to her senses but later we were supposed to believe it was true love, again.
In the meantime, CP1 and CP3 are stuck in a quagmire. CP1 did eventually became official at the end of ep.38 (out of 40) with a hug and the CP3 was a nod and a wink in ep.40. The show really have problem closing deals.

* Lack of skinship
Some commentators suggested covid restrictions, but I don’t think so. If you were looking for kisses, there were none. Nada, zip, nuthing. There were a couple of hugs. Actually, CP5 was shown making out in the stairwell once but it was oddly unromantic and seemed to support the coercion theory. I discounted that.
Please, don't even dream of an intimate scene. This show is more chaste than some religious dramas. :)

* Lack of Character growth/whiplash changes
The FL was a cold, calm professional from start to finish.
The ML was an irresponsible rich heir and Johnny Huang did not play that convincingly. In short order, he reformed into a nice, upstanding man. In essence, he played himself as he did in other dramas. Is that growth?

Most of the other characters remained largely unchanged. The only exception is the ML’s father. Oh boy, did he change! He went from a ruthless businessman, controlling father and a boar of a man to become a nice, gentle, fatherly figure in the space of 1 episode. Cue death bed conversion to Born Again Nice Guy™ in ep.35. Never too late.

The show is not unwatchable, there are good bits. I just felt detached and despondent as I watched. The various romantic subplots were flavourless and underwhelming. The business subplots insubstantial. I almost dropped the show a couple of times.

Thankfully, there was a dramatic change in tone and direction in the last 10 episodes. It really felt like a different show, one that finally have a clear purpose and direction. Did someone whispered something to the writer?

The last few episodes were fan service. All the loose ends were tidied up. Unicorns were roaming free. The attempt at some drama/action in the last episode was a bit laughable (see Illogical Plots). Those last few episodes are the saving grace for me, but the damage is done. It was hard to ship any of the CP's and that is the kiss of death for a romance drama.

OST is serviceable but repetitive. Rewatch? When I get a big slice of that 20M yuan.

Take heed fellow viewers, I gave you fair warning with is missive. Watch this at your own peril. ;)

Leia Mais

Korea is now progressing in BL dramas

Why is this drama giving me 16 episodes high quality straight drama vibes ? Yes , finally a Korean BL series with excellent cinematography .Except " Semantic Error "( Masterpiece) , all of those dramas from Korea, were " good " ( not best ) for me , so I had not that much high expectations but " Secret Relationship " is really better 😉

Disclaimer- If you don't like Love Triangles and messy plotlines then this is not for you.

POSITIVE-
1 . Adaptation of a very popular Manhwa " Secret Relationship " , this is a +1 point for this drama.

2. Excellent cinematography ( Rare in most of the KBL )

3. Handsome actors with great acting skills.

4. Green Flag ML .

5 . Beautiful Soundtracks .

NEGATIVE-

Messy story plotline with full of toxicity,

Overall -
8.5 / 10 , their visuals are eye catching, Manhwa lovers will definitely like this drama.

Leia Mais

This one is difficult to review, because I really enjoyed the show tremendously and would have otherwise been rating it very highly - but its following the US show trend of purposefully NOT ending, to keep you hanging for a second season, which isn't actually promised anywhere.

So - if you start to watch this BEFORE there is a season 2, please be aware that this story is INCOMPLETE, it's not simply a case of "bad ending", it's unfinished. For me, that's entirely unacceptable and the main reason I quit watching western shows entirely.

Putting that to one side, I feel it's only fair to talk about the show that IS there as well.

The easiest analogy for this show in US shows is "24" - top grade action, lots of shoot outs, lots of explosions, lots of car chases, some amazing parkour along the roof tops and some great effects. I thought it was overall quite well executed and disagree with the comments that Suzy was poor - I thought she was spot on for the character she was playing (though perhaps she's portrayed as much more "bad ass" in the publicity, in the show she's much more of a rookie).

Lee Seung Gi plays a great role as the main character, the completely (and probably unreasonably :) ) unstoppable stuntman who can do just about anything - hey, this is meant to be sensational fiction so just kick back and enjoy it, it's great fun. He does a fantastic job.

Moon Jung Hee as the leading evil lady, Jessica, brilliant - her character drips with greed and nastiness perfectly and was fun to see her on-screen plotting counter-moves.

As with all these kinds of action shows, there are going to be plenty of times where you think "wait, wasn't he just stabbed in the leg and now he's running?" but shrug it off, if you want to look into things that closely you're probably not a fan of the genre anyway :) It's silly, it's fun and it's entertaining.

Production values are sky high, it's got a top top end movie feel to it all the way through.

The story does get a little bit tiring with the constant twists and turns but it all made sense as the story unfolds itself multiple times, it definitely keeps you on your toes.

In short, really enjoyed it right up until they left it without any ending, and there's no real hint that there's actually going to be a season 2 yet even. I *may* be a little grumpy about this.... but i've tried to separate my feelings on that topic from the rest of the show :)

Leia Mais

It was all for "today".

"Right now, you feel like you're falling behind others. Even so, you should live. As you live, there will come a moment when you'll realize, it was all for today." ~ Koo Ryeon

The feelings of being constantly torn between killing yourself or killing everyone around you, is dangerous and as unfortunate. In a world, where individuality has become the primary choice of us, what everyone should be attempting is to extract out the positivity out of it. Situations and circumstances definitely play roles in making us commit deeds, that we'd never thought of even. But in the end, it all boils down to the fact that, one needs more courage to live than to kill themselves. Rightfully quoted so, "Sometimes even to live is an act of courage".

Created by 'Studio N' and co-produced by 'Super Moon Pictures', "Tomorrow (내일) [2022]" is the live-action adaptation of the 2017 manga of the same title by Llama. Developed by Hong Seok Woo, the show is a fantasy cum slice-of-life drama, broadcasted on MBC and internationally distributed on Netflix.

"Tomorrow" follows the day-to-day work of the Risk/Crisis Management Team of Jumadaeng (the afterlife company for Korea) which serves to prevent highly suicidal people from committing the deed and strives to bring happiness in their lives. Choi Joon Woong, a jobless young man, gets involved with grim reapers as he tries to save a man from taking his own life. Soon he goes into coma, becoming half dead, and joins the RM team till his recovery. There he meets, Team Leader Ko Ryeon (Kim Hee Sun) and his assistant Lim Ryung Gu (Yoon Ji On); together they save countless lives while facing the threat of disbanding from other departments of Jumadaeng, including the most elite Park Jung Gil (Lee Soo Hyuk), the leader of the escort team. Kim Hae Sook plays the Jade Emperor in Jumadaeng.

The controversial concept and the criticism surrounding it about suicide prevention, might seem futile but I do not wish to discredit and disregard the understandings of people about such a sensitive matter. Nevertheless, it's a relief how this show has been able to create narratives and conversations, about this topic.

Plot development follows both fragmented as well as staircase rule, and I believe this was a best decision in the webtoon writer's part. The pilot episode wasn't very impressive to me, that could have me in it's overall grasp though it seemed decent. I would say the execution in the 2nd episode was also fine. Episode 3 is where it suddenly took me to paradise (not literally because the sufferings of people were so saddening). I mean to say that I could suddenly understand the intentions of the writer and what everyone involved is meaning to relay to all of us. The furtherance was amazing; them handling one case after another, trying their best to sort everything out and put things back to their places, all of that evoked all kinda emotions, making us think, understand and realize about the possibilities that our lives could offer us. The seens involving Jumadaeng and the interactions of all the reapers working in it, was fantastic to witness; particularly Ko Ryeon and Jun Woong conversing was always melting my heart. Everything was okay until the finale week which somehow ended up ruining things for the show. As much as I love this show in overall, the very fact that the ending turned ordinary and rather shoddy, will always bother me, whenever I am reminded of the show.

There are 3 screenwriters for the show: Kim Yu Jin, Park Ran and Park Ja Kyung, and all of them are debutants according to their bios. Nonetheless, as I have opined multiple times, it's not really easy to turn a book into live-action adaptations and the secondary screenwriters needs to be immensely attentive and dedicated while turning books into scripts. So is the case for this; I believe the combined efforts of these budding artists have blossomed into such an amazingly beautiful masterpiece, sparking deeper thoughts and evoking essential emotions. The dialogues are sometimes heart-touching and emotional and as thought-provoking and gut-wrenching at times. The storytelling method with few monologue notes is alleviating and gladdening to a large extents.

Kim Tae Yeon PDnim with the experience of both a screenwriter and a director in both movies and dramas, have been able to do a wonderful job in preserving the eseence of the show. With him co-directs Sung Chi Wok PDnim, who has been a part of several modern well-recieved Kdramas. The tone, scope and subject matter of the show, perfectly corresponding to it's title, has been justified and the inherent messages has been yielded. The pacing was perfect, dedicating each episode to a single case and also narrating the back stories of the main cast meanwhile. The screenplay management, the scenario setups, the screen-editing and the overall execution, everything is beyond 'well done', which reflects in the outcomes that have provided us with gratifying and fulfilling experiences from the show. The only thing that felt off in the initial episodes was the sound production, the background editings, I mean.

The cinematography is pleasing, each episode usually starting with dark colour palettes depicting misery, and gradually shifting to light and colourful hue, implying, the new beginnings and as hope. The designer and makeup team deserves as much credit, for both accurately and demandingly bringing out the best of the characters, through the careful works on the actors. The fighting scenes, as required in few scenes, were exciting and convincing, if not very impressive.

Composed by Jo Seung Woo and Won Ho Kyung, there are a total of 5 OSTs, and I believe this much is enough. I love how they were incorporated into the story and screenplay.

# "Red Ligh"t by J. DON is my most favourite, which is a rap song depicting the mysterious ways in which one's life operates. The vibes of the song matches with that of the show. It makes me happy rap tracks have become the most prominent in modern slice-of-life Kdramas.

# "Still love you" by Yoo Hwe Seung (N. Flying) should have been the no.1 if not for the original track, where he is a co-singer with Lee Hong Ki (FT ISLAND). The track is of high pitch melancholic and sorrow-inducing lyrics, narrating the hardships of life. The vocals of Hwe Seung are amazing enough to make you cry. I suggest you listen to the original one, as well.

# "My Only One" by BEN is a soulful song reminiscing the moments spent with a precious person that you have admired for a long time in your life.

# "My Loneliness Callls You" by SURAN is again, truly a call for having happiness back in your life, soliciting the presence of your love.

# "Don't Leave Me, My Love" by An Da Eun is a beseech of holding back everything that you think is important. I didn't really like this one.

What I liked...
# Jun woong's character development is what the writer wanted to be the cause of the story. In fact, it was for him, we got to witness jumadaeng and such lovely members and also, the lives of so many people and their different kind of struggles. I could see how he'd turned out to be by the end of the drama.

# Comedy elements in the drama are hilariously funny and glad it was mostly restricted within jumadaeng or among the reapers. Most of it is credited to the Jade emperor (Kim Hae Sook) and equally to Ryung Gu, and Jun Woong was usually the victim of their humors, haha.

# The wide range of personal and social issues introduced and the underlying messages, presented in a fresh way, surely gets through all the way to the heart, viz. school bullying, poverty, career tension, loss of loving ones, ignorance to imperialism victims, life of war veterans, workplace taboos, injustice, sexual assault victims, miscarriage, etc.

# So happy how they thought of involving an animal in one of their episodes, showcasing the importance of pet-human relationship and the subsided emotions.

# Suicide is not something to even think about easily and even so it remains controversial, you really never know what an individual get through while making such decisions, no matter how absurd it seems to me and you. Also, it's not really easy prevent suicidal thoughts of others easily, but we need to understand that this was a fictional show where the writer had to throw light upon various stories and sticking to only one would have differed from the core concept of the story. I personally have nothing to complain.

# That being said, I loved how well the writer emphasized to tell us the stories the persons concerned with the issues in each episode, giving them a bigger fraction of the show. We rarely see the main cast of the show being taken away of this (in a good way, I mean).

# No one can confidently utter that they shall live tomorrow, so death is as natural as to be born. It is very touching the way the the vehemence of death has been propounded. It's nothing new for Kdramas like this, but the ideas and the elements used to represent, definitely move your heart.

# Paralleling jumadaeng (afterlife) with the world of living is another factor that makes the drama .. From the organizational structure to the regulations and operations, everything didn't feel less than any other MNC; they have every single thing, technology, glitches, resumes, editing, and what not.

# The epilogues at the end of each episode were so satisfying and as delightful and truly exhilarating.

What I didn't like...

# The shared past story of the main leads towards the ending is one the biggest (probably the only one) setbacks about the show. I would have loved it if they'd shown it bit by bit from the beginning but the one episode dedicated to the particular matter, that too towards the ending, ruined a small part about the show. Again, it could have been done in a very amazing way, but the way they represented wasn't very likable to me. And as predicted in the 15th episode the finale was rushed.

# As everyone else, I also expected Rowoon to be the part of of something big or let's say have his own share of gut-wrenching past story. Unfortunately, the writers didn't have any such plan, instead he was treated like a supporting character, not all the times though. My disappointment about this particular matter comes from the fact that Rowoon is no rookie or substandard actor at this point.

# Lee Soo Hyuk being shown as the main cast in in the poster and then the makers backstabbing us by giving him unsatisfactory share of screentime is very disappointing. I admit, overally the entire main cast has received half the time, bcs the makers have emphasized on narrating the stories of the victims but of the half, Lee Soo Hyuk gets the least, and I didn't like that.

# I think I have already told how it turned out to be a rushed ending, so saving the elaboration again, I strongly feel the ending could have been a lot lot lot better. sighs.

Final Remarks... Overally, "Tomorrow" bestowed love, hope, everything else that you felt on personal levels. The denouement has been essentially deep, eloquent and worthwhile, provided all efforts contributed by the entire cast & crew. "Suicide prevention by Grim Repears", might interest/intrigue some while making people think for a while, but I suggest you try this out. For me, this was worth my time and emotions and I would cite this as a must watch. My rating of 8.5/10 is the reflection of it's drawbacks, as mentioned, would have given a 9.0 otherwise.

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Geniuely a really good drama, not what everyone is making it out to be

I’ve never written a review for anything, but I feel like this had to be my first. As I think people are making Nevertheless out to be worse than it is. Personally I really enjoyed this drama so much.
My favorite things:
1. The cast was truly amazing and their chemistry was so good that I always found myself smiling at the screen and repeating many scenes
2. THE ACTING!! The way they portrayed every single scene truly came down to the chemistry between them but just wow Song Kang and Han So Hee's acting truly needs more credit than what they are given
3. Every single ost in this drama was beyond beautiful, I looked forward to every week adding a new song to my ost playlist to have all the tracks on constant loop
4. The story was very realistic for their situation and this is the biggest thing I think people are making out to be worse than it is

One main thing I think people are forgetting or pushing aside is this is supposed to be a friends with benefits relationship and it is very emphasized from the beginning that that’s all that’s wanted. The word “toxic relationship” keeps being thrown into correlation but I personally don’t see anything toxic about their relationship when everything was put out there about the friends with benefits narrative. Yes, their relationship can be seen as flawed as the aspect of feelings are very evident but we also have a character who has never felt any of that and it’s an unfamiliar feeling that they don’t know what to do. In addition, communication between Na Bi and Jae Eon doesn’t really happen except for the times they explode in anger since they don’t address what they’re feeling.

Nevertheless (haha), I think everyone has mixed reviews depending on your stance on a friends with benefits relationship, but if you’re looking for a drama that’s more raw with sexual scenes and tension. A cast with amazing chemistry and a lot of fun scenes when they’re all together. In addition to people trying to understand their emotions and feelings when it comes to love this would be a great drama.

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